Somewhere out in the Pacific

Somewhere in the South Pacific, the M/S Paul Gauguin is slicing through the eight foot swells in a very choppy ocean. At noon today, nearly 36 hours after we anchored off the shores of Rangiroa, we raised anchor and set sail again under sunny warm balmy skies.

Like the two previous stops, the small communities on the two atolls of Rangiroa, have been sparse at best. On Saturday, we took a tender to the enclave of Avatoru. Other than a hotel, comprised of thatched roofs and cottages built on a pier over the crystal clear blue bay, there is not much here. We hiked about a half mile over rough coral covered shores to reach a white sandy beach adjacent to the resort. With snorkeling equipment we snagged on the ship, we set out into the lagoon for a close-up look of exotic fish and coral. Truly beautiful, though so far the snorkeling has not been as visual or plentiful as Caribbean snorkeling. An hour in the water and we were ready to move on taking the small shuttle boat back to the main ship.

This morning (Sunday), before setting sail, we took the tender into the adjacent village of Tiputa, which is less than a quarter mile from Avatoru but separated a narrow deep swath of ocean (deep enough that our ship squeezed through during today’s departure). A couple of churches, a post office, a tiny store, and a pay phone (no Internet here)… that’s Tiputa Beyond the amenities (or in this case, lack of), what stands out are the people and the dogs. Everyone here is very friendly. They all smile at you, greet you with "Bonjour." There are no gangs here, no attitude, no graffiti. Even the teenagers, unspoiled by the opulence that often guides teen’s life in other parts of the world … i.e., the US … are genuinely polite. They would rather stop and talk with you, a stranger, than sit there texting their friends about Britney Spears (oops, no cell phones, so no texting … and if you ask who Britney Spears is, you’d likely get a puzzled look).

As friendly as the people are, so are the dogs. I would bet the population of this one atoll would be about 200 … the dog population easily exceeding the people population. I walked the entire island, arriving with a camera, backpack, and bottle of water. By the end of the one hour walk (that’s all it took to explore the entire island), I’d attracted three four legged friends who followed me everywhere I went. One, a black lab, even went into the moderate surf apparently to go fishing. But after several underwater dives, he only resurfaced empty-mouthed. He and his two other pals returned to the beach and followed me back to the pier for the tender back to the main ship. When I got back to the cement slab pier, four young boys had gathered, each with an empty soda bottle. The ship brings a jug of water and punch on shore for passengers, but since I was on the last tender off the island, and no one after me would want the punch or the water, the ships crew fills the boys’ bottles with whatever water and punch remained. The kids, bottles filled, left happy, as did I.

Back on the ship, lunchtime … barbecued ribs and calamari were today’s feature. One thing that stand out on this ship compared to others is the quality of construction and the service, which I’ve already mentioned. It’s more like a fine hotel, with teak wood cabinetry in the stateroom (not plastic like most ships), and a simple elegance (not loaded up with mass produced gaudy artwork). The service and the food truly are the best I’ve encountered on a ship. With so few people on board (350), perhaps it is easier to operate more like an upscale hotel and gourmet restaurant compared to a Travelodge and banquet hall.
The downside, a small boat rocks a lot more in the open seas than a large ocean liner does. And more than once, I have been startled awake in the middle of the night thinking we’re having an powerful earthquake before remembering where I was. Speaking of which, I think it’s time for a nap.
The next port … Bora Bora at 8:00 tomorrow morning.